Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of 3-Substituted Coumarin Derivatives as Anti-inflammatory Agents

Recent Trends in the Synthesis and Bioactivity of Coumarin, Coumarin-Chalcone, and Coumarin-Triazole Molecular Hybrids

Molecular hybridization represents a new approach in drug discovery in which specific chromophores are strategically combined to create novel drugs with enhanced therapeutic effects. This innovative strategy leverages the strengths of individual chromophores to address complex biological challenges, synergize beneficial properties, optimize pharmacokinetics, and overcome limitations associated with single-agent therapies. Coumarins are documented to possess several bioactivities and have therefore been targeted for combination with other active moieties to create molecular hybrids. This review summarizes recent (2013-2023) trends in the synthesis of coumarins, as well as coumarin-chalcone and coumarin-triazole molecular hybrids. To cover the wide aspects of this area, we have included differently substituted coumarins, chalcones, 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-triazoles in this review and considered the point of fusion/attachment with coumarin to show the diversity of these hybrids. The reported syntheses mainly relied on well-established chemistry without the need for strict reaction conditions and usually produced high yields. Additionally, we discussed the bioactivities of the reported compounds, including antioxidative, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-cholinesterase activities and commented on their IC50 where possible. Promising bioactivity results have been obtained so far. It is noted that mechanistic studies are infrequently found in the published work, which was also mentioned in this review to give the reader a better understanding. This review aims to provide valuable information to enable further developments in this field.

Antifungal Activities of Natural Products and Their Hybrid Molecules

The increasing cases of drug resistance and high toxicity associated with the currently used antifungal agents are a worldwide public health concern. There is an urgent need to develop new antifungal drugs with unique target mechanisms. Plant-based compounds, such as carvacrol, eugenol, coumarin, cinnamaldehyde, curcumin, thymol, etc., have been explored for the development of promising antifungal agents due to their diverse biological activities, lack of toxicity, and availability. However, researchers around the world are unable to fully utilize the potential of natural products due to limitations, such as their poor bioavailability and aqueous solubility. The development of hybrid molecules containing natural products is a promising synthetic approach to overcome these limitations and control microbes' capability to develop resistance. Based on the potential advantages of hybrid compounds containing natural products to improve antifungal activity, there have been different reported synthesized hybrid compounds. This paper reviews different literature to report the potential antifungal activities of hybrid compounds containing natural products.

Unveiling the antitumor potential of novel N-(substituted-phenyl)-8-methoxycoumarin-3-carboxamides as dual inhibitors of VEGFR2 kinase and cytochrome P450 for targeted treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Being the sixth most diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, liver cancer is considered as a serious disease with a high prevalence and poor prognosis. Current anticancer drugs for liver cancer have drawbacks, such as limited efficacy in later stages of the disease, toxicity to healthy cells, and the potential for drug resistance. There is ample evidence that coumarin-based compounds are potent anticancer agents, with numerous analogues currently being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies. The current study aimed to explore the antitumor potency of a new class of 8-methoxycoumarin-3-carboxamides against liver cancer. Toward this aim, we have designed, synthesized, and characterized a new set of N-(substituted-phenyl)-8-methoxycoumarin-3-carboxamide analogues. The assessment of antitumor activity revealed that the synthesized class of compounds possesses substantial cytotoxicity toward Hep-G2 cells when compared to staurosporine, without significant impact on normal cells. Out of the synthesized compounds, compound 7 demonstrated the most potent cytotoxic effect against Hep-G2 cells with an IC50 of 0.75 µM, which was more potent than the drug staurosporine (IC50 = 8.37 µM). The investigation into the mechanism behind the antiproliferative activity of compound 7 revealed that it interferes with DNA replication and induces DNA damage, leading to cell cycle arrest as demonstrated by a significant decrease in the percentage of cells in the G1 and G2/M phases, along with an increase in the percentage of cells in the S phase. Flow cytometric analysis further revealed that compound 7 has the ability to trigger programmed cell death by inducing necrosis and apoptosis in HepG-2 cells. Further explorations into the mechanism of action demonstrated that compound 7 displays a potent dual-inhibitory activity toward cytochrome P450 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) proteins, as compared to sorafenib drug. Further, detailed computational studies revealed that compound 7 displays a considerable binding affinity toward the binding cavity of VEGFR2 and CYP450 proteins. Taken together, our findings indicate that the newly synthesized class of compounds, particularly compound 7, could serve as a promising scaffold for the development of highly effective anticancer agents against liver cancer.

Coumarin-Based Compounds as Inhibitors of Tyrosinase/Tyrosine Hydroxylase: Synthesis, Kinetic Studies, and In Silico Approaches

Cancer represents the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, constituting a serious health problem. In this context, melanoma represents the most aggressive and fatal type of skin cancer, with death rates increasing every year. Scientific efforts have been addressed to the development of inhibitors targeting the tyrosinase enzyme as potential anti-melanoma agents due to the importance of this enzyme in melanogenesis biosynthesis. Coumarin-based compounds have shown potential activity as anti-melanoma agents and tyrosinase inhibitors. In this study, coumarin-based derivatives were designed, synthesized, and experimentally evaluated upon tyrosinase. Compound FN-19, a coumarin-thiosemicarbazone analog, exhibited potent anti-tyrosinase activity, with an IC50 value of 42.16 ± 5.16 µM, being more active than ascorbic acid and kojic acid, both reference inhibitors. The kinetic study showed that FN-19 acts as a mixed inhibitor. Still, for this compound, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to determine the stability of the complex with tyrosinase, generating RMSD, RMSF, and interaction plots. Additionally, docking studies were performed to elucidate the binding pose at the tyrosinase, suggesting that the hydroxyl group of coumarin derivative performs coordinate bonds (bidentate) with the copper(II) ions at distances ranging from 2.09 to 2.61 Å. Then, MM/PBSA calculations revealed that van der Waals interactions are the most relevant intermolecular forces for complex stabilization. Furthermore, it was observed that FN-19 has a binding energy (ΔEMM) value similar to tropolone, a tyrosinase inhibitor. Therefore, the data obtained in this study will be useful for designing and developing novel coumarin-based analogs targeting the tyrosinase enzyme.

Research progress of coumarins and their derivatives in the treatment of diabetes

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia caused by multiple causes, which is caused by insulin secretion and/or utilisation defects. It is characterised by increased fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels due to insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. It is reported that the harm of diabetes mainly comes from its complications, and the cardiovascular disease caused by diabetes is the primary cause of its harm. China has the largest number of diabetic patients in the world, and the prevention and control of diabetes are facing great challenges. In recent years, many kinds of literature have been published abroad, which have proved that coumarin and its derivatives are effective in the treatment of diabetic complications such as nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. In this paper, the types of antidiabetic drugs and the anti-diabetic mechanism of coumarins were reviewed.

Coumarin Derivatives Exert Anti-Lung Cancer Activity by Inhibition of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Migration in A549 Cells

A series of coumarin derivatives and isosteres were synthesized from the reaction of triflic intermediates with phenylboronic acids, terminal alkynes, and organozinc compounds through palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. The in vitro cytotoxic effect of the compounds was evaluated against two non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines (A-549 and H2170) and a normal cell line (NIH-3T3) using cisplatin as a reference drug. Additionally, the effects of the most promising coumarin derivative (9f) in reversing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in IL-1β-stimulated A549 cells and in inhibiting the EMT-associated migratory ability in A549 cells were also evaluated. 9f had the greatest cytotoxic effect (CC₅₀ = 7.1 ± 0.8 and 3.3 ± 0.5 μM, respectively against A549 and H2170 cells) and CC₅₀ value of 25.8 µM for NIH-3T3 cells. 9f inhibited the IL-1β-induced EMT in epithelial cells by inhibiting the F-actin reorganization, attenuating changes in the actin cytoskeleton reorganization, and downregulating vimentin in A549 cells stimulated by IL-1β. Treatment of A549 cells with 9f at 7 µM for 24 h significantly reduced the migration of IL-1β-stimulated cells, which is a phenomenon confirmed by qualitative assessment of the wound closure. Taken together, our findings suggest that coumarin derivatives, especially compound 9f, may become a promising candidate for lung cancer therapy, especially in lung cancer promoted by NSCLC cell lines.

The antithrombotic activity of natural and synthetic coumarins

Thrombosis, which seriously endangers human health and life, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Antithrombotic drugs can interfere with the occurrence and development of thrombotic diseases and play an important role in the treatment of thrombotic diseases. However, unsatisfactory efficacy and serious adverse effects of existing antithrombotic drugs increase the research for new, efficient and safer drugs. Natural and synthetic coumarins have been shown to possess antithrombotic activity, namely, anticoagulation and antiplatelet aggregation. Especially, coumarin-based warfarin, phenprocoumon and cloricromen have long been used in clinical treatment of thrombosis. Coumarin with low toxicity is the privileged structure for developing novel antithrombotic drugs with multiple mechanisms of action. The present review aims to compile current research on the development of coumarins against thrombosis, emphasizing the relationship between their chemical structures and therapeutic effectiveness. It is intended to provide promising ideas for the discovery of novel coumarin derivatives with high antithrombotic activity.

Trending Topics on Coumarin and Its Derivatives in 2020

Coumarins are naturally occurring molecules with a versatile range of activities. Their structural and physicochemical characteristics make them a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. Many research articles and reviews compile information on this important family of compounds. In this overview, the most recent research papers and reviews from 2020 are organized and analyzed, and a discussion on these data is included. Multiple electronic databases were scanned, including SciFinder, Mendeley, and PubMed, the latter being the main source of information. Particular attention was paid to the potential of coumarins as an important scaffold in drug design, as well as fluorescent probes for decaging of prodrugs, metal detection, and diagnostic purposes. Herein we do an analysis of the trending topics related to coumarin and its derivatives in the broad field of drug discovery.